ALTAMONTE SPRINGS, Fla. – No. 9 Hawai'i Pacific University ended its run in the 2019 NCAA Division II Women's Tennis Championship on Thursday morning with a 4-2 loss to No. 5 Columbus State (Ga.) at Sanlando Park.
 
The Sharks (16-5), the number five seed in the tournament, ended their season with the loss. The Cougars (26-4), the tourney's fourth seed, advances to the semifinals on Friday.
 
HPU was hampered by the loss of All-PacWest Conference player Elisa Elhadj, who was injured during the round of 16 match against St. Edward's and could not play, forcing lineup changes for the Sharks.
 
The Cougars picked up the doubles point to start the match, with Beatriz Lopez and Clara Audap besting Debora Echevrria and Heloise Le Normand 6-3, and Natalia Kattah Paz and Candice Paya winning at No. 2 against HPU's Mihoki Miyahara and Sarah Ikioka 6-4 for the point. The No. 1 matchup of the Shark Elodie Busson and Nichole Ballach went unfinished as 32nd ranked Noa Davico and Luise Sachs held a 6-5 lead after a strong Sharks comeback.
 
The Sharks had to move up lines from No. 2 down in singles, presenting new matchups. HPU fell behind 3-0 after Davico defeated Ikioka 6-0, 6-3 at No. 4, and Paya handed Miyahara a 6-3, 6-4 loss at No. 2.
 
But HPU rallied with 34th ranked Busson beating 35th ranked Lopez 6-4, 7-5 at No. 1 and Echeverria stepping up to No. 3 for the win over 52nd ranked Sachs 6-0, 7-5.
 
The Cougars got the win in three sets at the No. 6 spot, as Audap out dueled a moved up Ballach 3-6, 6-2, 6-2.
 
The Sharks were up in the unfinished match at No. 5, where Le Normand won the first set 6-3, lost in a second set tiebreak 7-6 (7-3) and was leading 2-1 in the third.
 
The PacWest Conference Champion Sharks completed their 21st straight NCAA Division II Tournament appearance by advancing to the quarterfinals for the 12th time in the last 13 years.